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kkenna7's reviews
225 reviews
The Sirens by Emilia Hart
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, AND Macmillan Audio for the ALC/e-Arc! All opinions are my own.*
Weyward was my favorite read of 2023 so I jumped at the chance to get this one early and I'm so glad I did! I was fortunate enough to get approved for a digital copy and an audio version of this and went back in forth on format - both were wonderful, though I found there was a slight "learning curve" with the audio as there is a decent amount of worldbuilding in this one and it can feel like a lot of information coming at you. Just worth noting as the narrator was amazing and it provided a lot of great atmosphere to the storytelling.
Emilia Hart's writing is what drew me into her debut and it's absolutely present in this one, too. Each description pulled me deeper into the story and I was so fully immersed (pun only kind of intended) that I ended up having dreams about shipwrecks afterwards! I felt so attached to each POV character, and I especially loved going back in time to Mary and Eliza's POV. The ship full of women was such a harrowing story and each character, no matter how small, felt so full. A trouble with dual timelines (personally) is that I often struggle in feeling that one or both storyline(s) are incomplete by the end. I felt satisfied by this novel and I feel confident in saying that each story feels whole and complete to me.
In other people's reviews, I've seen a lot of comparing this to Weyward. You're getting a lot of the same underlying themes, but this book is not that book. This book is deeper in the suspense subgenre, in my opinion. There's a much deeper element to the mystery plot in this novel compared to Hart's first, and you'll get much more mileage out of the fantasy in this one. You're getting a much grittier story out of the Sirens compared to Weyward. All this is to say: Do Not go into this comparing it to anything before it. It is its own narrative and it deserves to be treated as such. You'll be doing yourself and the work a much greater disservice otherwise.
Weyward was my favorite read of 2023 so I jumped at the chance to get this one early and I'm so glad I did! I was fortunate enough to get approved for a digital copy and an audio version of this and went back in forth on format - both were wonderful, though I found there was a slight "learning curve" with the audio as there is a decent amount of worldbuilding in this one and it can feel like a lot of information coming at you. Just worth noting as the narrator was amazing and it provided a lot of great atmosphere to the storytelling.
Emilia Hart's writing is what drew me into her debut and it's absolutely present in this one, too. Each description pulled me deeper into the story and I was so fully immersed (pun only kind of intended) that I ended up having dreams about shipwrecks afterwards! I felt so attached to each POV character, and I especially loved going back in time to Mary and Eliza's POV. The ship full of women was such a harrowing story and each character, no matter how small, felt so full. A trouble with dual timelines (personally) is that I often struggle in feeling that one or both storyline(s) are incomplete by the end. I felt satisfied by this novel and I feel confident in saying that each story feels whole and complete to me.
In other people's reviews, I've seen a lot of comparing this to Weyward. You're getting a lot of the same underlying themes, but this book is not that book. This book is deeper in the suspense subgenre, in my opinion. There's a much deeper element to the mystery plot in this novel compared to Hart's first, and you'll get much more mileage out of the fantasy in this one. You're getting a much grittier story out of the Sirens compared to Weyward. All this is to say: Do Not go into this comparing it to anything before it. It is its own narrative and it deserves to be treated as such. You'll be doing yourself and the work a much greater disservice otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, and Abandonment
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Murder
The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich
Did not finish book. Stopped at 78%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 78%.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for the ELC. All opinions are my own.*
I was really excited about the premise of this book. The cover was sweet and the plot sounded like a fun time, but unfortunately it fell really flat for me. I found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional throughout most of their interactions and it was very hard for me to buy into the storyline, even over 3/4 of the way through. The pacing felt clunky at times and the plot felt too one-note. In a post-Red White & Royal Blue world, a book like this has to deliver more than it did, there has to be more chemistry there. And I just didn’t get much from it at all. I found I had to force myself to listen at times.
I was really excited about the premise of this book. The cover was sweet and the plot sounded like a fun time, but unfortunately it fell really flat for me. I found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional throughout most of their interactions and it was very hard for me to buy into the storyline, even over 3/4 of the way through. The pacing felt clunky at times and the plot felt too one-note. In a post-Red White & Royal Blue world, a book like this has to deliver more than it did, there has to be more chemistry there. And I just didn’t get much from it at all. I found I had to force myself to listen at times.
Motheater by Linda H. Codega
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
*Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.*
I. loved. this. Now, I will first preface this by saying if you don't like a slower-paced experience, one might not be for you. This book really take its time. However, it really worked for me. I'm someone who loves an atmospheric experience (often even over that of impeccable writing, plot, etc.). When the vibes line up, I'm locked in until the end, and the vibes were THERE for me in Motheater. Appalachian novels are something I can never get enough of - we're not writing and publishing enough of them, if you as me - and I adored spending time in Kiron. I appreciated the dual timelines. I loved learning about Motheater's past as we navigated the present. I felt like it really added to the tension of the plot. The end felt worth the ride it took to get there, which is a huge feat for a heavy-plot book like this. So frequently am I underwhelmed by the way a story of this caliber is wrapped up, but it felt final and solid which I appreciated. I will note, the one downfall I felt throughout this reading experience is theromance subplot between Motheather and Bennie . It felt rather unnecessary in a book like this and I wasn't feeling the chemistry most of the way through. It felt a bit forced, if I'm being honest. All in all, regardless of that, I had a wonderful time reading this and I can't wait for more from this author!
I. loved. this. Now, I will first preface this by saying if you don't like a slower-paced experience, one might not be for you. This book really take its time. However, it really worked for me. I'm someone who loves an atmospheric experience (often even over that of impeccable writing, plot, etc.). When the vibes line up, I'm locked in until the end, and the vibes were THERE for me in Motheater. Appalachian novels are something I can never get enough of - we're not writing and publishing enough of them, if you as me - and I adored spending time in Kiron. I appreciated the dual timelines. I loved learning about Motheater's past as we navigated the present. I felt like it really added to the tension of the plot. The end felt worth the ride it took to get there, which is a huge feat for a heavy-plot book like this. So frequently am I underwhelmed by the way a story of this caliber is wrapped up, but it felt final and solid which I appreciated. I will note, the one downfall I felt throughout this reading experience is the
Not For The Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.*
I had fun with this! The cast of characters was a delight and it was wonderful to get to know each member of the Merry Men and all of their little quirks. It can often be difficult to juggle so many personalities in a novel without it becoming chaos, but Croucher manages it so easily. Everyone feels like a whole and complete person. It felt like I was part of the crew, honestly. This is where the book truly shines and I’m definitely a sucker for a found family situation!
Additionally, the narration was absolutely wonderful! Both narrators made the immersion so effortless. Their voices were distinct enough to know exactly which character was speaking and I had no issues being confused about which narrator was which character, which can be an occasional challenge in queer audiobooks in my experience.
The one gripe I did have in this one, however, is the romance itself felt lacking. I’m all for a slow burn, but this one just felt nonexistent in most of the book, unfortunately. Clem and Mariel and wonderful characters - and they’re wonderful together! - but I spent a good amount of the book thinking it would’ve been just fine if the romance didn’t exist at all.
Despite this one gripe, I did have a wonderful time listening to this book. The writing is so much fun and the characters were such a delight to interact with. This was actually my first by Lex Croucher and it will not at all be my last!
I had fun with this! The cast of characters was a delight and it was wonderful to get to know each member of the Merry Men and all of their little quirks. It can often be difficult to juggle so many personalities in a novel without it becoming chaos, but Croucher manages it so easily. Everyone feels like a whole and complete person. It felt like I was part of the crew, honestly. This is where the book truly shines and I’m definitely a sucker for a found family situation!
Additionally, the narration was absolutely wonderful! Both narrators made the immersion so effortless. Their voices were distinct enough to know exactly which character was speaking and I had no issues being confused about which narrator was which character, which can be an occasional challenge in queer audiobooks in my experience.
The one gripe I did have in this one, however, is the romance itself felt lacking. I’m all for a slow burn, but this one just felt nonexistent in most of the book, unfortunately. Clem and Mariel and wonderful characters - and they’re wonderful together! - but I spent a good amount of the book thinking it would’ve been just fine if the romance didn’t exist at all.
Despite this one gripe, I did have a wonderful time listening to this book. The writing is so much fun and the characters were such a delight to interact with. This was actually my first by Lex Croucher and it will not at all be my last!